


No Dating in the ANBU

by Maiika



Series: Kakayama prompts [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU mission, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Fake/Pretend Relationship, KakaYama Week 2019, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 20:36:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18836320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiika/pseuds/Maiika
Summary: Kakashi and Tenzō have been called for a mission regarding two other ANBU Shinobi.  It’s unusual, to say the least, but Tenzō is a professional.  He can handle it if Kakashi can.





	No Dating in the ANBU

Tenzō might never get used to this position, this place.  Knelt in front of the hokage, awaiting orders next to his ANBU captain, he keeps his head down, porcelain mask hanging from his fingertips, eyes on his raised left knee.  Seeing Lord Danzo sitting at the hokage’s side today doesn’t help his neverending suspicion that he’ll someday be taken back to Root. Tenzō casts a sideways glance at Kakashi, finding him unreadable, as usual.  At least  _ he _ doesn’t seem intimidated by Lord Danzo.

 

“As you both should know,” Lord Third says, his hoarse voice discernible from Danzo’s without Tenzō needing to raise his head, “romantic relationships are strictly prohibited between Root agents.”

 

“And strongly discouraged among the hokage’s ANBU,” Lord Danzo adds.  “But in this case...we’ll make an exception.”

 

Tenzō furrows his brows and looks to Kakashi, who wears an equally dubious expression when their eyes meet.  Tenzō opens his mouth, but he doesn’t know what to say to that. He snaps his mouth shut, settling in his stunned confusion and waiting for someone to continue talking to explain what is going on here, and  _ how _ this is a mission briefing.

 

Kakashi turns his gaze to the hokage, his eyes darting between him and Lord Danzo before he says, “Is this how you plan on telling all your ANBU about your relationship?  Because I would suggest a different method.”

 

Lord Third laughs (Tenzō notes with a cringe that Lord Danzo does  _ not _ ).  “No, no, Kakashi.  This isn’t about  _ us _ .”

 

“It’s about you,” Danzo says.

 

Tenzō’s breath hitches as his eyes snap to Kakashi.  His captain, who isn’t looking at him, should be just as shocked as he is.  He  _ should _ be, but he doesn’t look it.  There is nothing romantic about their relationship.   _ Maybe _ friendship, but even that is pushing it.  Some of Kakashi’s teasing and odd behaviors over recent years may read as flirtation, but Tenzō thinks Kakashi just likes to torment him.  If he’s going to be in trouble with his superiors over something of which he’s not even guilty, he needs to say something. There has to be a way to clear this up.

 

Kakashi exhales, his breath loaded with amusement.  “I see.”

 

“You see?” Tenzō whispers.

 

“Our mission requires us to  _ appear _ to be in a relationship, Tenzō.”

 

“That is correct,” Lord Danzo says.

 

Kakashi looks up and meets Lord Danzo’s eye.  He doesn’t say anything, but his question is clear: why?  Tenzō would like to know this, too. What can they accomplish with such a fraudulent front?  He’s been on missions to seduce and to play roles as someone he isn’t, but those missions clearly required the deception.  Any of that seduction involved people with whom he did not have history or any real relationship. This is unusual, to say the least.

 

Lord Danzo tucks a hand into his robes, making Tenzō tense as his wrist flexes in the familiar curve that precedes throwing shuriken.  What Lord Danzo throws out is not a cluster of shuriken, but a duo of papers which spin through the air before landing on the carpeted floor before Tenzō and Kakashi.  Tenzō leans forward, peering down at the glossy photos on the white pages. They are ninja registry papers, one ninja male, one female. Both dark-haired. The female has the recognizable pale eyes of a Hyuuga.  The male has the red triangular markings of another clan, possibly Inuzuka. Before Tenzō can look any closer at the print detailing Hikari Hyuuga and Erukku Natori’s history, Kakashi snatches them up. While the captain absorbs them with a concentrated gaze, the hokage begins talking, so Tenzō raises his eyes.

 

“These two were part of Team Riku.  Their captain reported his concerns about their suspected romantic involvement after a mission went horribly wrong due to some glaring oversights on their part.”

 

“This is unacceptable for  _ any _ ANBU,” Lord Danzo drawls, shooting the hokage a sideways glare.  “But they vehemently deny it and without proof, there is nothing the hokage will do but move them to separate teams.   _ That _ solution has already been attempted when I recruited the Hyuuga girl to Root.”

 

“Attempted?” Tenzō says, knowing Lord Danzo hardly attempts anything without  _ some _ success.

 

Danzo’s lip pulls up in the slightest hint of a sneer, and Tenzō knows whatever happened was bad.  “My Root shinobi have failed their attempts to find evidence, but the Natori boy was spotted in the Foundation yesterday.”

 

Kakashi grunts.  “He was  _ in _ the Foundation?”

 

Tenzō nods to Kakashi.  “Without business, no Shinobi who isn’t a part of Root should be there.”

 

“Yes,” Danzo says, shooting Tenzō a pointed glare.  Tenzō tries not to cringe, but can’t stop himself from bowing his head.  “ _ You _ should be well aware, Kino-“

 

“Tenzō,” Kakashi interrupts.  “His name is Tenzō now.”

 

“We believe,” Lord Third says, skirting over the rising tension in the room, “Erukku was meeting with Hikari and the relationship will persist to endanger the Hidden Leaf’s missions.  These two have proven too crafty to nearly  _ catch _ , so we need you two to give them false security in thinking they are not alone.  Be someone in whom they feel they can confide.”

 

“And once we’ve convinced them?” Kakashi says.

 

“You two should be able to gather all the proof we need,” Lord Danzo says, sitting back on his heels.

 

“My hope is that confronting them with the proof and the threat of losing their positions,” Lord Third says, reaching for the pipe resting on his table, “will be enough to convince them to terminate the relationship for the good of the Hidden Leaf.”

 

“These are very valuable Shinobi,” Lord Danzo adds.  “We do not want to lose them. We only intend to dissuade this behavior.”

 

“What if they choose the relationship?” Tenzō says.

 

Lord Third narrows his eyes as he puts out the match that lit his pipe with a flick of his wrist.  “They have the will of fire,” he says with a wry smile before taking a puff and looking up at Kakashi and Tenzō.  “They won’t.”

 

“Hiruzen,” Danzo says, nodding and raising his gaze past Tenzō and Kakashi’s shoulders.

 

Lord Third follows Lord Danzo’s gaze and blows out a billowing plume of gray smoke.  “Erukku will be taking his shift at my door in a few moments. Do you two have any questions before we commence this mission?”

 

Tenzō looks at Kakashi, shifts.  “How long?”

 

“That depends entirely on you two,” Danzo says dismissively.

 

“And if they  _ don’t _ confide in us?” Kakashi says.

 

Because the message hidden beneath all of this is that Tenzō and Kakashi have to convince these couple of  _ skilled _ and  _ well-trained _ ANBU members that not only are they in a relationship, but they are trying to keep it hidden.  Their targets need to be convinced that Kakashi and Tenzō can relate to the same close scrutiny  _ and _ have something helpful to offer that warrants them exposing themselves in search of their confidence.  All of this, to turn around and use it against them, just to put an end to their relationship.  _ That _ is the mission.  Tenzō cannot even dig into the implications of what this means for him and Kakashi, not now.  Lord Danzo looks to the hokage, turning Kakashi’s question to him in a silent handoff.

 

Lord Third puffs his pipe and closes his eyes.  “I have faith in your ability to accomplish this mission, Kakashi.  It is why I chose  _ you _ for this delicate task, and Tenzō because he has a rapport with you that I believe will be vital to your success.  Only you two can return these fine Shinobi to the peak of their performance. Please, don’t let us down.”

 

Tenzō frowns and beside him, Kakashi sighs.  Because that isn’t an answer. If this couple doesn’t approach them, Kakashi and Tenzō could be stuck in this relationship for a long time.  They could fail this mission. They will have to be very convincing if they want to succeed and get this overwith quickly. But fake  _ secret _ dating with the Copy Ninja is something for which Tenzō doesn’t think he’ll ever be ready.

 

Kakashi bows his head and says, “Yes, Lord Hokage.”

 

Tenzō nods. “Yes!”

 

“Good,” Lord Danzo drawls before raising his brow and giving a distinct glance to the clock, which Tenzō turns to find striking the hour.  Danzo raises his voice. “I’ve told you, Hiruzen, this Shinobi should have never been removed from my care. If he was in Root now, he never would have been lead astray like this.”

 

“His wood style is vital to the Hidden Leaf,” Lord Third growls insistently.  “I could not have seen this coming.”

 

“You are the hokage!” Danzo says before tempering his performance with a clearing of his throat.  “All the actions of the ANBU in your care are your responsibility. So how do you explain Kakashi’s actions?”

 

Lord Third’s eyes flicker to Kakashi, filled with something between apology and amusement.  “Kakashi, you know the rules better than most. What do you have to say for yourself? You are a  _ captain _ ! You should be setting the example, not favoring this teammate over any others.”

 

Kakashi’s eyes are wide, but Tenzō can see the gears turning in his head, the fast thinking his captain is known to employ on missions.  Because this  _ is _ their mission.  And what he says now will not reflect his true thoughts or feelings, but what they want the guard outside the door to overhear.  If Tenzō hears his boyfriend chastised for something for which he’s equally guilty, as Lord Danzo already suggested, then he shouldn’t remain mute right now.

 

Tenzō grunts with the suddenness of his realization.  “It’s my fault! Kakashi was-“

 

“Silence!” Lord Danzo says, his voice loaded with fury.

 

“Lord Third,” Kakashi says, “I swear to you, it will not happen again.”

 

“We should remove him, Hiruzen,” Lord Danzo says.  “Like we have with past Shinobi when this issue arises.”

 

“Remove Tenzō from Team Ro?” Kakashi exclaims, sounding convincingly upset by the suggestion.

 

“No,” Lord Third says after a long minute, his eyes fixing on the door behind them.  “You know that never works, Danzo.”

 

“Yes,” Lord Danzo says gravely.  “So what now?”

 

“A little distance will do them both some good, I believe,” Lord Third says.  “Tenzō, you will continue with the rest of Team Ro on your ongoing mission. Think you can handle stepping up as captain for the time being?”

 

Kakashi rushes to his feet.  “But Lord Third!”

 

Tenzō purses his lips as he takes in the way Kakashi’s cheeks flush, the widening of his eyes, the way his fists are clenched.  If he didn’t know any better, he would think Kakashi actually objects to being pulled from his team.

 

“Kakashi!” Lord Third says.  “You will be put on guard rotation here in the village and at hokage tower.  By the time your team’s mission is complete, I expect you ready to return to them with a more professional approach to your subordinates.”

 

Kakashi closes his eyes and kneels again.  “Yes, Lord Hokage.”

 

Tenzō inspects Kakashi closely as they rise and walk back to the door together.  After they pass the ANBU on guard with a familiar upsweep of black, spiky hair and red markings on his cheeks, Tenzō wonders how well this performance was received, and how they’ll further plan this mission from now on.  

 

“Tenzō,” Kakashi says, leaning in close and whispering as they reach the end of the hall.  His fingers thread through Tenzō’s and Tenzō feels a rush at the unexpected contact. “Are you sure you can handle this mission?”

 

Tenzō closes his eyes and gulps down the lump in his throat.  He knows Kakashi holds his hand solely for the benefit of their onlooker.  He knows the rush of excitement he feels is purely a physical reaction and he needs to ignore the way it makes him feel.  Yes. He can handle this, he decides as he meets Kakashi’s red and black gaze with a confident smile.

 

For the time being, Kakashi will be stationed exactly where he needs to be to further plant the seed with Erukku Natori.  Tenzō has no doubts that Kakashi will make progress while Tenzō is away on Team Ro’s mission.

 

* * *

 

Tenzō is just drifting off to sleep after pushing the awkward mission from his mind when a sound at his apartment window makes him sit upright with a gasp and reach for his kunai beneath the pillow.

 

“Yo.”

 

The familiar greeting makes him dispel all the air from his lungs and tighten his grip on the kunai before he can send them flying.  Kakashi’s unmistakable silhouette is crouched on his windowsill, waving lazy fingers in the air. 

 

Tenzō tucks his kunai away.  “Kakashi-Senpai? What are you do-“

 

Tenzō is cut off when Kakashi slides into the room, waving him off and approaching the bed.  Tenzō tenses, realizing he’s wearing nothing but his boxers and Kakashi seems intent on sitting right beside him.  

 

“Well, Tenzō,” Kakashi drawls, flopping unceremoniously beside him before shooting him a heated look, “I think it’s about time you drop the Senpai.”

 

Tenzō blinks.  “Huh?”

 

“Just  _ Kakashi _ ,” Kakashi says, raising his hand to tap lightly at Tenzō’s unguarded chin.  “Since we’re lovers now, the formality seems a little unnecessary, hm?”

 

“Lovers?” Tenzō chokes on the word, and much to his dismay, Kakashi grins at his expense.

 

“Tenzō,” Kakashi says, his voice dropping with his chin, “you  _ can _ handle this, can’t you?  I thought you Root ANBU were raised to be void of emotions.”

 

“We were.  I mean - are.”  Tenzō huffs, frustrated at the loss of control in this conversation and his failure to even reprimand Kakashi for the intrusion.  “What are you doing here, Senpai?”

 

Kakashi pins him with a withering glare.

 

“Kakashi,” Tenzō corrects.

 

Kakashi leans closer, brushing his hand up along Tenzō’s jaw, his visible eye becoming more attentive to Tenzō’s face than perhaps it's ever been.  Tenzō hates the way Kakashi raises a brow at the uptick in Tenzō’s breathing. Tenzō smothers down the feelings, willing himself to  _ prove _ he’s as ready for this as he says.  He still doesn’t know why Kakashi is here now, when their targets are nowhere in sight.  If they’re going to pretend they’re dating, they should be going out. On a date. Not...whatever this is.

 

Kakashi rubs Tenzō’s lip with a stroke of his thumb.  “I’m working on the mission,” he says dryly, continuing his soft stroking, “what do you  _ think _ ?”

 

Tenzō’s eyes dart side to side, noticing the lack of presences penetrating his wards, aside from Kakashi’s.  “The mission?”

 

“You should kiss me now.”

 

Tenzō’s heart thunders in his chest, but he keeps his expression neutral.  “What?”

 

At the roll of Kakashi’s eye, Tenzō decides he can’t hesitate.  He doesn’t want to fail the mission, and whatever reason Kakashi has for this unexpected approach, Tenzō trusts that it’s important.  He leans into Kakashi’s touch, reaching for the black mask concealing his face. He almost feels it’s a violation of Kakashi’s person to pull the mask down.  His fingers grasp the edge of the fabric as he anticipates finally seeing what’s remained hidden under that mask in all this time he’s known and worked beside Kakashi.  

 

Kakashi’s hand clamps around his wrist.  “What are you doing?”

 

“K-kissing you.”

 

“Leave the mask.”

 

“But how can I-“

 

“ _ Through _ the mask,” Kakashi says, his visible eye narrowing before it slides to the left - Tenzō’s open window.  “Guy’s been following me all day. We need to propagate the rumor without either one of us speaking of this.”

 

“Might Guy?” Tenzō breathes.  It all makes sense now. “If anyone can spread the rumor quickly through the village, he can.”

 

“Make it good,” Kakashi says, his eye creasing as he smiles, as if this is easy.  As if he didn’t just ask his coworker to kiss him - through a mask.

 

With an internal groan, Tenzō presses forward until his lips meet cloth, which molds around them with Kakashi’s surprising return of his kiss.  He holds this place, enjoying the surprising softness, the delicate manner in which Kakashi’s lips move just enough that Tenzō feels the heat of them beneath the thin fabric, making him wish he could feel the texture and moisture of his lips.

 

“Wow,” Tenzō says as he pulls away, stroking a hand through Kakashi’s white, feather-soft hair.  “That was-“

 

Kakashi swats at Tenzō’s hand, wrenching his fingers free of Kakashi’s hair.  “You can drop the act now. He’s gone.”

 

Tenzō looks out at the blackness framed in his window, wondering how Kakashi can be so attuned to sensing Guy.  Tenzō hadn’t sensed him outside his apartment until Kakashi told him, and now that he  _ doesn't _ sense Guy’s presence, he has to wonder if he’s really gone, but Kakashi is confident that he is.  While away with Team Ro, Tenzō is going to make a point of honing his senses. As an ANBU, this is borderline embarrassing.

 

Kakashi stands, pacing away from the bed and slipping his hands into his pockets.  “While you’re away on this mission, make sure you pine for me, Tenzō.”

 

“Pine for you?” Tenzō says with a grin, kicking his feet over the side of his bed and angling his chin at Kakashi.  “And what will you be doing while you’re here? I doubt you’ll be  _ pining _ for me.”

 

“Of course I won’t,” Kakashi says, turning to shoot Tenzō a smile so cheeky, Tenzō doesn’t need his mask removed to see it.  “If we act too far out of character, Tenzō, they’ll never fall for it. Remember, these aren’t just any targets we’re trying to deceive.”

 

“Hikari and Erukku are ANBU,” Tenzō says with a sigh, clasping his hands together over his knees.

 

“And I’ll be spending my days face to face with Erukku, at least,” Kakashi says, “probably both of them.”

 

“So you get to do the job of  _ hiding _ our relationship.”

 

“And you have to show that there is one.”

 

Tenzō sighs.  Kakashi said that far too gleefully.  He gets too much joy out of this. And Tenzō is going to be tormented over the next week, out in Earth country, acting sad and lonely around the rest of Team Ro because their captain isn’t with them.

 

A part of him thinks there will be some truth to it.

 

* * *

 

When Tenzō returns to the Hidden Leaf, he makes a beeline for his boyfriend, because that’s the first thing any infatuated teen would do.  What he finds is Kakashi standing guard at the entrance to the hokage’s tower, completely ignoring him.

 

“Captain,” he whines as he casts glances over his shoulders at the passerbys.

 

“I’m working, Tenzō,” Kakashi says with a huff.  “What do you want?”

 

Tenzō raises his brows.  “ _You_ _know_.  I just got back.”

 

Kakashi finally meets his gaze from behind his ANBU mask, looking unimpressed.  “And?”

 

Tenzō tries not to feel dejected.  Kakashi  _ has _ been spending the past week writing off their relationship as nothing while Tenzō was building it up to a dramatic romantic endeavor over in Earth Country.  Their whole team is now aware of the fact that there’s a relationship here about which none of them are supposed to know. Tenzō gets a pointed look from Kakashi that he can recognize even behind those carved eyes of his red and black painted mask.  He falters, gasping as he looks around. He doesn’t know what he was thinking. He has no reason to be hurt about Kakashi’s aloofness, and pretending to be hurt, here and now, does not serve their mission.

 

“Hound,” someone says from behind Tenzō, her voice husky and alluring.  “ANBU locker room tonight?”

 

Kakashi nods and grunts his agreement.

 

Tenzō whirls around to look at this woman planning a meeting with Kakashi, but she is nowhere to be seen.  There is only one woman Kakashi  _ should _ be meeting in secret.  

 

Tenzō whirls on Kakashi.  “Hikari?”

 

“Who else?” Kakashi says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.  “Between Guy’s million promises to keep our miraculous secret and your pining, Tenzō, we seem to be making progress.”

 

“Good,” Tenzō says.  

 

But for some reason, it doesn’t feel as good as it should.  This means the mission can conclude soon. This means Kakashi will no longer have to pretend to be Tenzō’s boyfriend.  

 

He’ll never get that real kiss.

 

* * *

 

Hikari and Erukku seem to be not simply dating or fooling around.  From what they confide in Tenzō and Kakashi, they are in love. This is more complicated than Tenzō imagined.  Because now they are not only snuffing out a burning flame between two people for the sake of the village, but destroying true happiness that two people share and may never find again.  Tenzō gnaws his fingernails after confessing to Kakashi in the privacy of Kakashi’s apartment that he doesn’t like this one bit.

 

“It has to be their decision, Tenzō,” Kakashi says.

 

“But after we prove it to Lord Danzo and Lord Third, how can they feel they really have a choice?”

 

“They have a choice,” Kakashi says, leaning back in his chair and raising his gaze from the book he’s held in his face since Tenzo arrived here.  “They  _ had _ a choice to start the relationship knowing the risks, and they  _ have _ the choice to end it or…”

 

“Or what?” Tenzō snorts.  “They can tell Lord Danzo to reassign them to a four-man squad?  They can  _ quit _ being ninja?  You’ve seen their ranks, their specialties.  Lord Third might be understanding, but Lord Danzo will  _ never _ let them go.”

 

“Like he wouldn’t let  _ you _ go?” Kakashi asks, perking his one visible brow.

 

“That was different,” Tenzō says, remembering Kakashi pleading for him, vying for the Third Hokage to free him from the suffocating atmosphere of the Foundation.  “I had you.”

 

Kakashi meets Tenzō’s gaze and his eye fills with warmth.  “You still have me.”

 

Tenzō’s resolve weakens and he almost forgets what he’s arguing about under that melting gaze, but he knows he’s  _ right _ here, so he stubbornly holds on to the cause that currently evades him.  He has no idea how to convey this to Kakashi, though.

 

Closing his eyes, he shakes his head.  “Kakashi.”

 

“This is our mission, Tenzō,” Kakashi says as he flips a page.  “It’s almost over.”

 

“You think the mission is more important than-“

 

“Yes,” Kakashi says, fixing Tenzō with a glare before returning his gaze to his book.

 

Tenzō frowns at Kakashi for a long while.  Kakashi  _ seems _ serious, but Tenzō doesn’t believe him.  Kakashi, deep down, is one of the most caring people Tenzō has ever known.  No one had ever treated him like a friend and comrade before Kakashi. Kakashi practically  _ taught _ Tenzō the meaning of friendship and recognizing its importance over missions. And he reads these damn romance novels of his constantly, so he has to be a romantic sap somewhere in there, even if the content of his books  _ is  _ mostly porn.  Tenzō cannot believe Kakashi is the type of man who would willingly destroy someone’s chance at love.  But he knows better than to argue with him. Tenzō lowers his head, steps toward the door, and sighs. 

 

“Fine,” he says before he slips out the door, because there is nothing more to say.

 

* * *

 

When they make the report of their findings to the hokage, their business is quick and uneventful.  Tenzō feels a knot form in his stomach as he leaves the office with Kakashi, leaving Lord Danzo with the hokage to decide what to do with the amorous ANBU agents.  

 

“Tenzō,” Kakashi says, concern etched in his voice as they walk the halls together, “they’ll make the right decision.”

 

“They’ll do what they have to for the Hidden Leaf, I know,” Tenzō says with acceptance and despondence.

 

Kakashi falls behind Tenzō, having stopped abruptly with a grunt.  Tenzō glances over his shoulder to see his exposed eye widened.

 

“ _ That’s _ not the right decision,” Kakashi says before picking up his feet and joining Tenzō at his side.

 

“But you said-“

 

“ _ We _ did what we had to, Tenzō,” Kakashi says, his eye curving in a smile.  “But believing in our mission doesn’t mean I don’t believe in true love.”

 

“Aw,” Tenzō coos as relief washes over him, “you  _ are _ a romantic.”

 

Kakashi pats Tenzō on the back.  Hard. “Always trust in the judgment of your superior, Tenzō.”

 

Tenzō laughs, rubbing the heel of his hand into his eyes as he walks.  “I always have, always will. To a fault, unfortunately.”

 

“I’ll never lead you wrong.”

 

“No,” Tenzō says as they round the next corner, knowing he absolutely  _ will _ .  “But I suppose we can go back to being friends now.”

 

“ _ Were _ we friends?” Kakashi asks, looking Tenzō over with a spark of amusement in his eye.

 

Tenzō doesn’t honor that question with an answer as the exit of the hokage’s tower comes into sight.  “We’re not dating anymore, so I guess I’ll see you around the training grounds. Or for the next mission.”

 

When he reaches for the door, he’s pulled back abruptly.  Kakashi’s fingers lace into the neckline of his ANBU armor as his breath tickles Tenzō’s neck with his nervous laughter.

 

“About that,” Kakashi says. “I may not be as easy to break up with as you think.”

 

“What?”

 

Kakashi rubs his head, ruffling those silver locks Tenzō remembers carding with his fingers.  “Guy might have gotten...a little carried away. Lord Third even had to pull me off duty for awhile because word of  _ us _ got around too much for him not to take action.”

 

Tenzō furrows his brow, trying to imagine Kakashi’s friend spreading word throughout the village.  It doesn’t mean they have to continue this charade, though. They’ll just have to explain to Guy and whoever else he told that it was all a lie for a mission.

 

Kakashi eyes Tenzō as if reading his mind.  “You’d  _ think _ it was that easy, but remember: I’ve been actively denying this relationship this whole time for our cover of a secret relationship.”  He sighs. “It’s too bad. If I have to be in a relationship, I want to reap all the benefits that usually go along with it.”

 

“Benefits?” Nervous laughter bubbles up in Tenzō’s throat.  He rubs the back of his neck and hesitantly meets Kakashi’s gaze.  “You know, I wouldn’t mind continuing where we left off.”

 

Kakashi blinks.  “That kiss?”

 

Tenzō shrugs.  “You know, without lip to lip contact, you can’t really call it a kiss, Senpai.”

 

Kakashi’s eyes narrow.  “What did I tell you about-“ he groans and rolls his eye.  “You know as well as I do it was a  _ good _ kiss.  With the mask.”

 

“But still.”  Tenzō moves in closer, pressing Kakashi into the shadows lining the wall of the hall.

 

“You expect me to reveal my face,” Kakashi growls, drawing his face closer to Tenzō’s, “ _ here _ ?”

 

Tenzō licks his lips, nodding.  Rather than answering with words, he takes a chance.  His fingers lift to Kakashi’s mask and dance at the edge of the fabric, waiting for Kakashi’s permission.  Kakashi’s keen eye darts up and down the hall before the mask slips from Tenzō’s grip and lips are on Tenzō’s, hot and wet and soft.  Kakashi’s hands mold around his cheeks as if Tenzō might try to escape the kiss. But he would have to be crazy. This is the feeling he’s craved since their first tease of a kiss weeks ago, and if it’s the only kiss they ever share, Tenzō can die happy.  He slips his tongue between Kakashi’s lips, drawing pleasure from the gasp and shiver he elicits in his captain. When he pulls away with just that tease of tongue, Kakashi’s mask is already up to his nose, the mysterious face never revealed to Tenzō’s eyes.  He sighs, but he can’t say he’s disappointed.

 

“We can’t date, of course,” Kakashi says, clearing his throat.  “Even if it wasn’t ANBU policy, as your captain, I wouldn’t-“

 

“I know,” Tenzō says, holding up a hand, averting his gaze as he smiles, because he knows this sounds exactly like words they’ve shared at the beginning of this mission.  “But it was nice to pretend, if only for a moment.”

 

Kakashi chuckles as he turns to press open the door.  Bright sunlight floods the hall and an indiscernible silhouette waits outside to greet them, flailing long arms through the air.

 

“Kakashi!”

 

Tenzō laughs as he watches Kakashi receive the tidal wave of Guy’s welcoming embrace, stumbling over the threshold.  

 

“I’m so happy for your blossoming love!” Guy cries.  “You’ve embraced the springtime of your youth with a passionate endeavor!”

 

This mission is over, but given the slight misunderstanding they caused, there’s no reason they can’t milk this situation for awhile and reap some more benefits, at least until the hokage feels the need to step in for real this time.


End file.
